Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD. 16SG^1S8G. Ml
Hartford merchants made bids for Springfield trade by advertising
locall}' their goods, to be paid in " bills of exchange, loan office cer-
tificates, Massachusetts State notes, the Honorable Robert Morris's
notes, bank notes, flour, pork, beef, and grain of all sorts ;
" and
Smith & Sheldon answered this b}" advertising to accept for goods in
addition to the above "consolidated and Depreciated notes." These
certificates were the quartermaster's certificates, over which there was
much trouble (1783).
Daniel Lombard ran a countr}' store and saddler's shop north of
the court-house. He bought the present Justin Lombard property
of Gideon and Daniel Parsons in 1784, and died in 1795. Joel
Marble kept a drug store in 17S3, one door south of the court-
house. In his store was a counter devoted to books and sundry'
small articles, and he received in lieu of money, wheat, rye,
Indian corn," and beeswax. Among business men also niay be noted
R. Smith, clockmaker, south of the court-house ; Burden, another
clockmaker, in Ferry Lane ; John Mun, saddler ; Alexander Bliss,
currier's shop ; William Warland, chaise-maker, near the Great Ferry ;
Thomas Sargeant, watch business ;
and so on.
Of the taverns of that period the old stand of Zenas Parsons is the
best known. The elm in the south-east corner of the present Court
square stood in front of this tavern, there being just room for the
" stage waggon" between it and the hotel veranda. There were ex-
tensive barns and sheds in the rear. Here auctions were frequently
held, and on training-day young men often tried their powers of
wrestling. Over the shed was a long dance-hall, much used by the
young people. It is generally believed that General Washington put
up at this tavern either when he passed through here to take command
at Cambridge, or when he visited the armory after the war. At any
rate, the old liuilding now standing at the west end of Court street is
a reminder of the tradition, and is honored by this generation ac-
cordingly. Back of the tavern, facing on YAm. street, stood the first
church.